The lack of help available to people living with eating disorders if they are regarded as not being at a life threatening weight prompted the launch of Exeter Beats Eating Disorders.

It was formed by Exeter University students in September 2016, aims to raise awareness for people with eating disorders and the limited services available for them locally.

Exeter Beats Eating Disorders was formed by Exeter University students

Among its members is 20-year-old Jack who has shared his story to show that eating disorders isn’t something which affected girls and women, but also boys and men too.

Fellow member Olivia Horncastle, also 20, has also bravely spoken out to raise awareness that you can be any size and have an eating disorder, and that you can recover from it.

Jack is 20 years old and is a third year student at Exeter University

Jack is grateful for the support of Exeter Beats Eating Disorders

“I distinctly remember the first time I noticed something I didn’t like with my body, but I was unaware it would very gradually mutate into a wider, more systematic fear.

“I was 12 years old, and had been generally quite skinny for most of my childhood; I was just one of those thin children.

“One day, I looked in the mirror and noticed my abdomen, probably for the first time, and that is looked ‘podgy’ to me.

“My mum assured me it was untoned muscle like on most people, which in hindsight it was. But it still concerned me and caught my eye, and was something I became conscious of, yet unsure of why.

“I suppose this is when a switch flicked in my head that started a slow descent down a spiral of self-degradation and low body confidence.

“This was mostly stable throughout my teenage years as I was blessed with a high metabolism, meaning I remained thin regardless of what I ate. Despite this continuing even today, my concerns about possible weight gain eventually became a noticeable problem.

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“This came especially when my stress levels were absurdly high, the prime example being during my A levels. For numerous reasons I was desperate to finally leave home and start my own life at university, but my concern for meeting entry requirements meant it was two years, non-stop of intense work and practice, including Christmas days and birthdays.

“Though I’m thankful it paid off by getting me to a good university, it was not healthy one bit and caused my mental health to deteriorate.

“This inevitably caused my body concerns to pick up from where that first glance in the mirror six years prior had begun.

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“My diet was heavily restricted for those two years which I’m still living with today. I gave up all meat, counted calories obsessively, exercised despite a limited caloric intake, restricted the amount I ate.

“It usually came down to a piece of fruit for breakfast, nothing much bigger for lunch, then a normal dinner when other people would be eating with me, keeping up appearances if you like.

“There was indeed a few weeks where that became very restricted, and what sparked it I’m not sure, but I couldn’t stand to look at myself in the mirror and my natural reaction to dissatisfaction was to purge.

“I was thankful to be seeing a counsellor once a week, who helped me through my general difficulties. She really was great and helped keep my head above water, but some issues were out of her realm to try to overcome, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) proved helpless given how overstretched they are.

“Weight wise I was usually 56 to 58kg, and nearly 180cm tall, with that pretty strong metabolism still. My BMI drifted around 17, which was too high to qualify for NHS therapy.

“Getting through A levels and starting university helped somewhat. It was a tough first year, and it has been generally very stressful since.

“In my first year I certainly still restricted my eating, though with gradual improvement and noting that my weight was not significantly changing due to my metabolism.

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“I was eating better than the previous two years. Still, while I have had support for other mental health issues, I have not been a low enough weight to receive eating disorders support on the NHS, nor can I afford private therapy, but I don’t blame the local services for it.

“It is much more down to the chronic and abysmal underfunding the NHS has seen in the past few years. That unfortunately means me, and the many people worse off than me, cannot get eating disorders treatment.

“However, as mentioned before, things have improved; I’m now 20, and my weight around 59/60kg . I can’t predict if I will go down another spiral, or if something will spark another desire to become thinner, but I’m at least more confident now in how I look, even if my fingers do still look strangely thin.”

Olivia Horncastle is 20 years old and joined Exeter University in 2015 to do a geography BA

Olivia Horncastle was bullied for being overweight

“I was an overweight child and got bullied because of it. I wouldn’t eat much through the day and then would binge on chocolate and crisps when I got home.

“I was very self-conscious and stopped swimming and dancing due to being teased for my weight. After one too many comments at the age of 15, I decided to lose a few pounds to feel happier.

“I joined the gym and tried to eat healthier. Within a few months it had spiralled into something else and I was stuck eating under 500 calories a day and endlessly exercising.

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“I would wake up in the middle of the night to exercise without anyone knowing, and I would hide food in ridiculous places.

“While the first 10kg I lost was not necessarily unhealthy as I was overweight, the way I did it was highly disordered and bad, showing that eating disorders effect people of every shape and size.

“I then developed depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts and would never leave the house. I hid food, weighed myself 10 times a day and had panic attacks when people tried to get me to eat.

Olivia is now at a healthy weight

“I saw a councillor who referred me as a critical case after I had lost 50 pounds in under a year and she realised she couldn't treat me.

“I received varying levels of care at an eating disorders unit for the next three years, countless weigh-ins, bed rest, meal plans, therapy and family therapy.

“I came to university weight-resorted due to the amazing support of my twin who would sit with my every snack time and lunch at college to ensure I ate. I cannot thank her and my family enough as they are the people that kept me going and fighting to be allowed to go to university.

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“I then had a bad relapse in my first year because it was the first time I had had any control over my food for the first time in five years. I lost 20kg and my body started shutting down.

“The university had no resources that could really help me because I was too underweight but refused to go inpatient.

“I was threatened with hospitalisation and could have been kicked out of university, so I spent Christmas forcing myself to eat.

Olivia is now enjoying a fun social life at Exeter University

“I came back a bit heavier in Christmas but was severely depressed and attempted suicide. I came through that and found veganism one night at university. This changed my entire outlook on life and I started to eat and thrive. Rather then restricting myself I now saw food as something bigger then just calories and fat.

“A year later from one of my lowest points I am self-harm free, and I can eat freely and happily. My body has recovered and my blood tests are now perfect.

“I am training to be a personal trainer and am strong, healthy and fit. I know I will never be confident in my body and I shall always feel like the little fat girl I was, but I hope my story can show that everyone can get through any type of eating disorder, and that you can have an eating disorder at size 18 or size 0."

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Trinity Mirror, which owns DevonLive.com, will be highlighting experiences of mental health across its regional titles in the lead up to and after World Mental Health Day on Tuesday, October 10. That is why we are inviting you to get in touch with your comments. You can have your say at the end of this article or on our social media channels.

Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. They provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

. For information and support contact the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393 (open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday) or click here